Fanene Peter Maivia – Son of Samoa

Spent the morning at Flat Bush School with inspirational alumni Willie Maea, Samson Vaotuua, Greg Va’afusuaga, Jay Paniani and Dr Julienne Faletau as they returned to visit their old school. The Writers Group of children interviewed these tuakana for a book of inspiration that will be called Flat Bush Forever.

This year Chad Sta-Krucial Robertson and I have been working on an awesome project with the Tuvalu Auckland Community Trust. We made 8 bilingual Tuvaluan children’s books, one representing each island of Tuvalu, and today the books were launched as part of Tuvalu Language Week celebrations. Each book comes with an audio version as well…

When an older generation of Ōtara legends come around to inspire a younger generation. That’s what you call tuakana-teina in action. Speaking words of life into young spirits today at Dawson Primary where I’m working with these children to write about inspirational Ōtarians. An architect, a Kiwi league player, a business mentor, an actor, an…

On Thursday I was blessed to participate in a rangatahi programme for the uri of Te Ahiwaru – Hapuu of Ihumaatao called Te Ara a Hape. This Kaupapa was designed to support rangatahi and whānau to re-engage with education and inspire their tamariki post COVID. I felt so happy for those rangatahi in the program…

Beautiful meeting today with the legendary Niue educator, Mele Nemaia, and Oratia Publishing editor Carolyn Lagahetau – one of the first Pasifika book publishers in the world. It’s Niue’s 50th birthday this year (independence from NZ that is) and we’re celebrating by making a book about the history and traditions of Niue for children. An…